Help with home Wi-Fi and broadband while studying at home

• First, check your internet connection speed 
  Check how it compares to the speed advertised by your ISP for your service.
  Your ISP’s website will provide a link which you can use to test your connection speed. It’s a good idea to perform multiple tests to find your average speed.
  
  
• Try resetting your router
  The way to do this can vary depending on your router and ISP – if you are not sure how to reset your router, check the manual (if you have one for your router) or the support pages on your ISP’s website, or contact your ISP for advice.
  
  
• Check for interference
  If you are using a Wi-Fi connection, check for things that may be interfering with its performance. These can include mobile phones and microwaves.
  Try the following:
  • turn off your mobile data
  • ensure that your router and the device you're using with your Wi-Fi connection (e.g. your computer or laptop) are not positioned too closely to a mobile phone or a microwave, or other possible sources of interference.
  • Landline phones can also affect router performance, so if you have a landline phone that shares a socket with your router, try to position the phone and the router as far away from each other as possible.
    
    
• Move closer to your router
  Wi-Fi signals get weaker the further you are from the router, so if you are using Wi-Fi, try moving your device closer to the router if possible.
  
  
• Check for other devices sharing your bandwidth
  If you have other devices at home that also connect to your Wi-Fi, they may be affecting the amount of bandwidth that’s available for the device you are working on.
  Try the following:
  
  • check for any devices that may be using large amounts of bandwidth (e.g. a games console that’s in the process of downloading a large game)
  • try turning off any internet-connected devices you’re not currently using.
    
    
• Try using an Ethernet (wired) connection
  An Ethernet connection can provide faster speeds than Wi-Fi. Try connecting your device to your router via Ethernet if possible. To do this, you will need an Ethernet cable, and your device (e.g. computer or laptop) will need an Ethernet port. If you are unsure of what type of cable to use or whether your device is compatible, please refer to support from your ISP or the manufacturer of your device.
  
  
• Check your connection again
  After troubleshooting using the suggestions above that are applicable to your home network, check to see whether your connection has improved. You may wish to run the connection speed test from your ISP’s website again, or you may be able to see improvements as you use your device.
  If there’s no improvement, or your connection’s performance is still far below what your ISP suggests it should be, you may need to contact your ISP so that they can investigate any potential problems with your connection.

If your internet connection is working as it should but you’d like to try and improve its performance, there are some quick things you can try which may help to improve it.

In addition to trying some of the troubleshooting suggestions in the section above on slow or unstable connections (such as moving closer to your router or turning off any internet-connected devices which you aren’t currently using), below are some further tips for optimising your internet connection:

• Clear your browser cache
  Your browser cache can help websites to load more quickly on your device by storing information when you visit them, but over time the cache can grow so large that it can start to slow things down, so it’s a good idea to clear the cache every so often.
  The following page has instructions on how to clear the cache for some common web browsers: How to clear your web browser cache
  
  
• Try a different web browser
  If you usually use a particular web browser, trying some alternatives (such as Chrome or Firefox) may help you to find a browser that runs faster on your device.
  
  
• Perform regular Anti-Virus and Anti-Malware scans
  It’s important to scan your device regularly to check for viruses and malware, in order to keep your device and the data on it secure. Viruses and malware can also slow down your device and affect its performance, so performing regular checks can be helpful for improving your connection speed too.
  For more information on protecting your device against viruses and malware, see the Malware Advice section on our Information Security page.

If you are unable to access a wireless or wired internet connection, you may be able to use your mobile phone data to create an internet connection on another device (such as a laptop) - this is known as tethering, or using a hotspot.

Tethering can be helpful as a temporary means of accessing the internet where no other options are available, for example if you are experiencing an internet service outage which cannot be quickly resolved by your ISP and you need urgent access to the internet.
Please note that tethering should only be used on a temporary basis as there are numerous limitations, and the following points should be carefully considered before you decide whether tethering is an appropriate solution for your situation:

• Tethering can be very expensive because it uses a lot of mobile data. Exceeding your mobile data could result in your service provider changing your plan, especially if they believe you are using it for commercial use.
• You should check with your mobile service provider if tethering is included in your plan and if you will be charged extra for using the service.
• As tethering uses your mobile phone, your phone’s battery will drain more quickly.
• You may not be able to make or receive calls on your mobile while tethered.
• Tethering provides a far slower connection than a full wired or wireless connection.

If you decide to use tethering, for security purposes you should ensure that you use a strong password when setting up the hotspot, to prevent unauthorised use of the hotspot by others.

Instructions for tethering will depend on your device type and model:

• Tethering/Hotspot instructions for Android (External link to the Android Help Centre website)
• Tethering/Hotspot instructions for iPhone (External link to the Apple Support website)

The Zoom Conferencing page provides suggestions for improving your internet connection for Zoom, as well as other support and guidance for using Zoom.